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Saturday, May 16, 2015

What do you hope to resolve through a debate?

Salleh Said Keruak

A favourite pastime of the opposition is to challenge their detractors to a debate. Young Turks like Rafizi Ramli, Tony Pua, etc., basically the noisemakers of Pakatan Rakyat, are fond of challenging Barisan Nasional leaders to debates.

Now it looks like Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has been infected with the opposition disease of challenging people to debates. Dr Mahathir has now asked Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to debate 1MDB.

It is not proper protocol for the Prime Minister to accept debates from normal citizens, even if that citizen happens to be an ex-Prime Minister or the Opposition Leader. If the Opposition Leader has any issues he or she can always bring this up in Parliament.

Anyway, debates should not be on such a narrow issue such as 1MDB. The debate should cover broader issues. On the other hand, if the debate is confined to just 1MDB, then the debate should focus on the allegation that 1MDB has lost RM42 billion or that RM42 billion has disappeared into thin air.

Whatever it may be, a debate on 1MDB is not going to resolve any issues other than to just entertain the public that enjoys watching two people fight. The only way to resolve this issue is to wait for the PAC report and see what it says.

Why is Dr Mahathir reluctant to wait for the PAC report? What is he afraid of? Is he worried that the PAC report will prove that the RM42 billion has not disappeared?